DIIDlSmSY 


OVERTHROW  OF  THE  BALLOT! 


A  COMPLETE  HISTORY 

OP    THE 

Election  in  the  State  of  Kentucky, 

J±TJ&-XJST  3D,  1S6S- 


The  following  address  of  a  committee  in  behalf  of  the  Democratic  party  of 
Kentucky,  fully  sustained  as  it  is,  by  convincing  evidence,  will  no  doubt  arrest  the 
attention  of  the  people  of  the  Confederate  States. 

The  gentlemen  composing  the  committee,  are.  reputed  and  known  as  statesmen 
of  commanding  talents  and  influence,  and  are  the  exponents  of  a  large  party, 
which,  until  last  summer,  had  voted  and  acted  with  the  Union  or  Lincoln  party. 
The  secession  of  this  party  from  the  Federal  administration  will  powerfully  reduce 
the  popular  force  of  the  Lincoln  supporters  in  that  State.  Independent  of  this 
seism  in  the  Federal  party,  there  never  has  been  a  doubt,  that  the  Southern-rights 
party  of  that  Stated  with  an  honest  and  unterrified  vote,  would  carry  any  general 
election  by  an  overwhelming  majority. 

The  documentary  proof  appended  to  the  address  cannot  fail  to  impress  convic- 
tion on  every  fair  mind,  that  the  Executiye,  Legislative  and  Judicial  election.-  <>t 
Kentucky  were  constrained  and  dictated  by  a  military  despotism,  and  are  gro.-s 
violations.of  the  Constitution  and  laws  of  that  State. 

If  this  new  and  powerful  party  will  aet-with  the  spirit  and  manhood  of  freemen. 
Kentucky  will  break  the,  chains  which  now  shackle  her,  and  redeem  her  from  the 
reproach  of  a  tame  submission  to  a  despotism  which  crushes  her  personal  and 
political  liberties. 


J'**  >  > 


lad 


* 


JL  ID  ID  IR,E  S  S. 


^n  Address  to' the  People  and  Congress  of  the  United  states: 

in  response  to  numerous  inqairiea  addressed  to  us  from  every' quarter,  we 
ask  leave  to  submit  to  the  people  of  the  United  Prates  the  following  paper  in  ex- 
planation of  the  ranvass  which  preceded  the  recent  election  in  Kentucky,  and  of 
the  causes  which  led  to  its  moit  unexpected  result—  unexpected  not  so  much  by 

ourselves,  who  h;id  from  sad  experience  already  teamed  the  extreme  and  desperate 
character  of  the  measures  that  would  be  resorted  :o  by  the  Administration  party 
(O  Buppresa  the  voice  of  our  people,  as  by.  those  of  you  who,  living  in  less  trou- 
bled regions;  had  not  realized  the  extent  to  which  a. determination  to  retain  power 
would  lead  its  possessors. 

In  the  last  days  of  August.  1862,  the  lion.  Beriah  Magoffin  resig  ed  his  office  as 
Governor  of  the  State  of  Kentucky.  From  causes  into  which  it  is  not  neces- 
sary pow  to  enter,  he  had  inclined  the  suspicion  of  a  great  majority  of  the  Union 
partyvand  through  the  Legislature  they  had  succeeded  in  divesting  him  of  all'real 
power  in  the  Government.  The  Executive  control  of  the  State  had  rapidly  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  tl§e  military  officers  of  the  United  States,  and  lor  months  the 
people  had  been  subject  to  martial  law  in  all  its  oppressiveness,  without  its  deela- 
ration  in  form.  Under  these  circumstances,  and  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  the 
people9  and  especially  that  portion  of  them  known* as  "Southern-Rights  Men," 
who  had  been  the  peculiar  objects  of  persecution,  Mr.  Majroffin,  in  a  published 
letter,  declared  his  willingness  to  resign  whenever  he 'could  be  assured  of  the 
election  of  a  successor  of  conservative  views,  who,  commanding  the  confidence  at 
the  same  time  of  the  Administration  at  Washington  and  of  the  people  of  Ken- 
tucky, would  be  able  and  willing  to  secure  every  peaceful  citizen  in  the  exercise  of 
the*  rights 'guaranteed  to  him  by  the  Constitution  and  laws.  The  Hon.  Jas. 
f.  Robinson,  then  a  member  of  the  Senate,  was  indicated  to  him,  and  he 
consented  to  resign  in  his  favor.  Then  the  Speaker  of  the  Senate  resigned, 
and  Mr.  Robinson  having  been  elected  in  his  stead,  became  by  virtue  of  bis  office 
the  acting  Governor  of  the  State  upon  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Magoffin*  The  new 
Governor  was,  from  the  beginning,  fully  informed  of  the  character  and  purpose 
of  the  negotiation  which  paved  the  way  to  his  succession,  and  he  entered  upon 
the  discharge  of  his  duties  with  the  best  wishes  ot  the  great  mass  of  our  people. 

These  events  gave  rise  to  the  most  pleasing  anticipations,  which  were  strength- 
ened by  the  first  acts  of  the  new  regime.  Early  in  September  the  State  was  in- 
vaded by  Confederate  troops,  who  held  possession  for  >six  weeks  of  the  greater 
portion  of  its  territory.  The  people,  content  with,  and  hopeful  of  the  new  order 
of  things,  gave  them  little  encouragement  and  but  few  recruits,  so  that  by  ibe  first 
ot  November  they  were  driven  from  our  borders.  But,  contrary  to  all  our  hopes, 
w inter  brought  with  it  a  renewal  of  military  .government;  orders  issuing  from 
military  officers  of  every  grade,  imposed  daily  more  stringent  regulations  upon  our 
commerce  with  other  loyal  States  ;  wider  signification  was  given  to  the  term  dis- 
loyal, by  which  the  victims  were  marked  out  for  oppression;  arrests  without 
warrant  and  imprisonment  without  trial  became  once  more  the  established  system 
of  justice;  the  property  of  suspected  persons  was  againgpeized  and  appropriated 
to  the  use  of  the  army  without  compensation  ;  the  civil  power  was  of  course  to  be 
not  more  effective  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Robinson  thai  in  those  of  his  predecessor, 
and  spring  found  the  rights  of  person  and  property  even  more  insecure  than  in 
the  darkest  hours  of  the  previous  year. 

The  Legislature,  composed  mainly  of  the  personal  and  political  friends  of  Gov- 
ernor  Robinson,  during  their  session  ia  the  winter,  had  passed  resolutions  of  a 
strongly  conservative  character,  in  which  they  declared,  among  other  things: 

1,  That  our  institutions  are  assailed  by  an  armed  rebellion  on  one,,  side,  which 


3 

can  only  be  met  by  the  sword,  and  on  the  other  by  umetmtitutumtU  actt  of  Con- 
gress  and  startlingKusurpaUons  of  power  by  the  Executive,  which  we  have  seen 
by  experience  can  be  corrected  by  the.  ballot-box. 

2.  That  Kentucky  is  and  ever  has  been  loyal  to  the  Government  of  the  United 
States. 

3.  That  we  recognize  a  manifest  difference  between  any  administration  of  the 
Government  and  the  Government  itself. 

4.  Solemnly  protests  against  the  emancipation  proclamation  as  unwise,  uncon- 
stitutional and  void. 

5.  That  the  power  recently  assumed  l»y  the  President,  whereby,  under  the  guise 
of  military'  necessity,  he  has  proclaimed  and  extended  martial  law  over  States 
where  war  does  not  exist,  and  has  suspended  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus',  is  unwar- 
ranted by  the  Constitution,  and  its  tendency  is  to  subordinate  civil  to  military 
authority,  and  to  subvert  constitutional  and  free  government. 

8.  That  Kentucky  will  adhere  to  the  Constitution  and  the  Union  as  the  best, 
and,  it  may  be,  the  last  hope  of  popular  .freedom. 

9.  Hails  with  manifest  pleasure  the  recent  manifestation  of  conservative  senti- 
ment among  the  people  of  the  non-slaveholding  States. 

10.  Recommends  the  call  of  a  National  Convention  to  propose  amendments  to 
the   Constitution. 

11.  Declares  that  the  laws  of  this  State  must  be  maintained  and  enforced,  and 
that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  constituted  authorities  of  the  State  to  see  to  it  that  by 
all  constitutional  means  this  indispensable  end  shall  be  attained. 

The^e  resolutions  were  signed  and  approved  by  the  Governor. 

In  February,  the  Central  Committee  of  the  Democratic  party,  appointed  some, 
years  since  under  its  old  organization,  issued  a  call  for  a  Convention  to  meet  in 
Frankfort  to  nominate  candidates  for  the  various  offices  to  be  filled  at  the  August 
election.  "With  this  call  we  had  no  connection,  and  we  neither  attended  the 
meeting  nor  approved  of  its  expected'* action.  Upon  its  assemblage,  and  before 
any  business  had  been  transacted,  the  meeting  was  dispersed  by  Col.  Gilbert,  then 
commanding  a  regiment  of  United -States  troops  at  Frankfort. 

The  Convention  of  the  so-called  "  Union  Democratic"  party  met  in  Louisville 
on  the  IStli  of  March.  One  of  their  first  acts  was  to  refuse  a  hearing  to  a  North- 
ern Democrat — the  Hon.  Mr.  Cravens,  of  Indiana — a  member  of  the  great  party 
whose  manifestation^  of  conservative  sentiment  had  so  recently  be<5n  hailed  with 
pleasure  by  the  Legislature.  They  readopted  as  part  of  their  platform  all  the 
resolutions  passed  by  the  Legislature,  and  nominated  as  their  candidate  the  Hon. 
J.  F.  Bell.  After  long  hesitation,  Mr.  Bell  declined  the  candidacy,  and  the  Cen- 
tral Committee  of  his  party  substituted  in  his  stead  Mr'.  Bramlette,  who  had  been 
the  frequent  recipient  of  office  from  the  Administration,  and  had  been  generally 
regarded  as  a  supporter  of  its  policy. 

Under  these  circumstances}  aud  early- in  the  month  of  June,  a  letter  was  writ- 
ten by  one  of  us  residiug  in  the  interior  of  the  State  to  another  residing  in 
Louisville,  in  which  it  was  suggested  that  a  meeting  of  the  conservative  Union 
men  should  be  called  for  the  purpose  of  consultation  as  to  the  proper  course  to  be 
pursued  by  them. 

Befoqf  our  meeting  was  held,  Mr.  Bramlette  had  already  taken  the  stump,  and 
though  the  newspapers  of  his  party  exercised  a  prudent  caution  in  refraining  from 
publishing  a  report  or  even  a  notice  of  his  speeches,  we  were  not  without  infor- 
mation of  their  character.  The  platform  of  that  party  to  which  he  owed  his 
nomination  denounced  as  startling  usurpations  of  power  the  suspension  of  (he 
writ  of  habeas  corpus  and  the  extension  of  martial  law  over  States  where  war  did 
not  exist.  We  learned  that,  on  the  contrary,  Mr.  Bramlette  maintained  in  argu- 
ment the  rightfulness  of  these  measures.  The  platform  denounced  the  emancipa- 
tion proclamation  as  uuwise,  unconstitutional  and  void.  Mr.  Bjamlette  contended 
that  it  was  mlid  as  a  war  measure,  though  he  regarded  uas  impolitic.  Th<* 
platform  hailed  with  pleasure  the  jecent  manifestations  of  conservative  sentiment 
at.  the  North,  while  Mr.  Bramlette  denounced  those  whom  he  derisively  termed' 
,  Constitutional  Union  men  quite  as  violently  as  the  Secessionists,  and,  finally,  he 
threatened  with  the  tender  mercies  of  the  provost  marshal  all  such  malignants  as 


i  1  perversely  refuse  to  vote  for  him,  even  though  he  was  without  a  com* 
tor. 
ier  these  circumstances,  it  will  surprise*  no  one  that  on  meeting  we  fouud 
Ives  agreed  in   approving/  with   some   exceptions,  the   resolutions  of  the 
1  Union  Democratic''   Convention,  but  equally  agreed  in  distrusting  the  sincerity 
of  the  men  by   whom  the  resolutions  hid  been  adopted,  and  particularly  of  the 
by   whom,  if  at  ai1,  they  were   to  be  enforced.      We,*  therefore,    de- 
vil a  ticket  in  opposition,  and  agreeing  without  difficulty  upon 
principles  by  which  our  candidate  should  be  guided,  we  addressed  to  the  Hon. 
:ir'n  s  A.  Wi<       Fe  the  letter  which  will  be  found  in  our  appendix,  marked  No.  1. 
.  :  lains  Our  purpose  and  our  policy.     Whether  they  were  "  dis- 

that  much  abused  term,  we  leave  to  every  candid  reader  tQ 
iiine  lor  him 

Wickliffe  in  a  published  letter  expressed  his   hearty   concurrence  in  our 

•.     He  accepted  with  reluctance  the    position  we  had   assigned  him,  and  we 

i  eded  to  place  a  full  ticket  in  the  field.  •  Few  did  more  than  Mr.  Wickliffe  to 

ain  the   fidelity  of  Kentucky  to    the  Constitution  and    Government  of  the 

United  States,  and  he  has  not  changed  his  principles  or  policy. 

We  are  at  once  assailed  by  the  Administration  press  with  every  species  of  mis- 
representation and  abuse.  Not  daring  to  assail  any  position  taken  in  our  letter  to 
Mr.  Wickliffe  (which  they  refused  to  publish,)  they  adopted  the  safer  course  of 
attributing  to  us  purposes  which  they  knew  we  did  not  entertain.  Though  it  was 
perfectly  well  known  tfo  them  that  we,  the  signers  of  that  paper,  had  been  active 
and  consistent  members  of  the  Union  party,  when  such  a  position  was  accompa- 
nied with  some  danger  and  no  prospect  of  advantage,  we  were  denounced  as 
Secessionists  in  disguise,  at  a  time  when  Secession,  partly  through  our  own  efforts, 
had  become  a  dead  issue  in  Kentucky.  We  had  but  a  single  newspaper  in  the 
State  to  advpeate  our  cause.  We  could  not  attempt  an  active  canvass  of  the 
State,  for  we  were  well  aware  that  such  a  canvass  would  expose  to  the  Admini- 
stration party  its  perilous  position,  and  thus  precipitate  that  military  interference 
in  the  election  which  wc  were  most  anxious  to  avoid.  In  this  manner  and  from 
these  causes  many  persons  in  the  State — many  more  abroad — were  led  into  a 
misapprehension  of  our  purposes,  and  made  to  believe,  that  secession  was  our 
real  aim.  Knowing  our  strength,  however,  we  were  content  to  lose  a  few  of  our 
friends  for  tbe  time,  in  the  hope'  of  securing  a  free  election,  which  weuld  give  us 
the  means  of  recovering  them  by  a  development  of  our  true  policy. 

[It  is  very  frankly  admitted  that  we  hoped  and  expected  to  obtaiu  the  support 
of  the  great  mass  of  the  Southern  rights  men  of  the  State.  They  were  for  the 
most  part  Democrats  of  long  standing.  Though  classed  by  the  adherents  of  the 
Administration  as  "disloyal, "  the  great  majority  of  them  were  not  Secessionists, 
and  were  entirely  free  from  all  complicity  in  the  rebellion.  So  far  from  esteeming 
it  a  fault  of  which  we  should  be  ashamed,  we  regarded  the  effort  to  conciliate 
them,  if  it  could  be  done  without  a  sacrifice  of  principle  on  either  side,  as1  highly 
meritorious  ;  and  we  now  gratefully  acknowledge  the  cordial  support  which  that 
portion  of  our  fellow-citizen*  were  ready,  and  anxious  to  yield  to  our  platform  and 
candidate  whenever  permitted  to  do  so.  Would  to  God  that  ajl  the  citizens  of 
bur  once  happy  country, could  be  brought  to  agree  and  be  satisfied.  If  the^rild- 
ionist  in  South  Carolina  could  be  induced  to  give  his  support  to  the 
principles  enunciated  in  our  letter  to  Mr.  Wickliffe,  who  would  not  regard  the 
occurrence  as  one  worthy  of  general  rejoicing  ?] 

hi  a  short  time  it  became  evident  that  misrepresentation  alone  was  not  sufficient 
to  secure  our  defeat,  and  Messrs.  Wolfe  and  Trimble,  our  candidates  for  Congress 
in  the  First  and  Fifth  Districts,  and  Mr.  Martin,  candidate  for  the  Legislature  in 
Lyon  and  Livingston  counties,  -frere  arrested  by  the  provost  marshals.  The  first 
named  gentleman  wasjpeedily  released  on  parole,  and  the  two  last  were  carried 
to  Henderson,  a  considerable  distance  from  their  homes,  and  there  detained  un- 
til the  election  was  over.  • 

Op  the  10th  day  of  July,  Governor  Robinson,  issued  the  proclamation  which 
will  be  found  in  the  Appendix,  marked  No.  2.  It  had  never  before  occurred  to  a 
Governor   of  Kentucky   that  it  was   necessary  to   remind  judges  of  election   by 


proclamation,  of  the  duties  enjoined  upon  them  by  the  laws  of  the  State.  They 
had.  always  been  presumed  to  know  their  duty,  and  been  left  free  to  discharge  it 
without  executive  interference.  The  expatriation  act  to  which  he  called  their 
attention,  had  been  printed  with  the  other  acts  of  the  Legislature  and  circulated 
by  public  authority  in  every  county  of  the  State.  If  had  been  published  in  every 
newspaper,  and  the  provisions  of  no  law  were  more  widely  known  to  our'  people. 
Why  it  should  have  been  thought  proper  to  depart  from  the  established  custom 
in  this  instance,  and  why,  when  such  departure  wa9  determined  upon  as  now 
necessary  for  the  first  time,  the  proclamation  should  have  failed  to  embody  for 
the  information  and  guidance  of  the  judges  those  other  laws -which  forbid  an^  in- 
terference with  the  freedom  of  elections,  and  denounce  severe  penalties  upon  any 
judge  who  should  refuse  to  receive ^the  vote  of  a  legally  qualified  elector,  are 
questions  which  we  leave  the  reader  at  liberty  to  decide  for  himself,  after  leamin<* 
all  the  facts  attending  and  following  the  issue  of  the  paper. 

On  the  31st  day  of  July,  General  Burnside  issued  his  proclamation  (Appendix 
No.  2)  placing  that  State  under  martial  law,  for  the  purpose,  as  he  declared,  "of 
preserving  the  purity  of  elections  as  defined  in  the  late  proclamation  of  his  Excel- 
lency,  the  Governor  of  Kentucky."  The  reason  assigned  by  General  Burnside 
for  the  issuance  of  his  proclamation  that  "  the  State  of  Kentuckv  is  invaded  by  a 
rebel  force  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  controlling  the  elections,"  was  a  mere  pre- 
text, without  real  foundation,  though  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  such  in- 
formation was  conveyed  to  the  General  by  citizens  of  this  State,  acting  on  behalf 
of  the  Administration  party.  The  "  iavaders  "  to  whom  he  referred  were  a  flying 
body  of  cavalry  less  than  one  thousand  in  number,  known  to  be  in  rapid  retreat 
at  the  time  the  proclamation  was  issued,  and  were  all  actually  out  of  the  State  be- 
fore the  election  began. 

Upon  the  most  careful  inquiry  we  have  been  unable  to  ascertain  that  they 
avowed  any  such  purpose  as  was  attributed  to  them,  nor  do  we  believe  that  they 
did  so.  But  the  avowal  of  such  an  intention  by  such  a  body  of  men,  even  had  it 
been  made,  would  have  been  an  idle  and  ridiculous  boast,-  to  which  it  is  impossible 
General  Burnside  could  have  attached  any  importance.  That  one  thousand  ma- 
rauders should  seriously  contemplate  a  control  of  the  election  in  a  State  contain- 
ing one  hundred  and  ten  counties,  inhabited  by  one  hundred  and  eighty  thousand 
voters,  and  protected  by  more  than  fifty  thousand  soldiers  of  the  United  States 
is  an  absurdity  so  glaring  that  General  Burnside  must  pardon  us-for  believing  that 
it  could  not  have  gulled  even  him  ! 

In  quick  succession  preceding  or  following  the  declaration  of  martial  law,  came 
the  different  orders  in  the  appendix  numbered  from  four  to  twelve.  Many  others 
of  similar  character  were  issued,  but  these  are  a  fair  sample  of  the  whole.  These 
orders  differing  in  their  details,  may  be  briefly  summed  up  as  presenting  the  fol- 
lowing points. 

1.  By  way  of  precaution  the  people  are  informed  that  whenever' any  property 
is  needed  for  the  use  of  the  United  States  army,  it  will  be  taken  from  rebel 
sympathizers,  and  receipts  given  for, the  same  marked  "dislovai,"  and  to  be  paid 
at  the  end  of  the  war,  on  proof  that  the  holder  is  a  loyal  man. 

2.  Rebel  sympathizers  are  defined  to  be  not  oulv  those  who  are  in  favor  of  se- 
cession, but  also  those  who  are  not  in  favor  of  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war 
and  of  furnishing  men  and  money  unconditionally  for  that  purpose.  "  Loyaltv." 
is  to  be  proved  by  the  vote  given  at  the  election. 

3. -County  Judges  are  required  to  appoint  none  but  «  loyal"  men  as  judges  of 
election,  notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  our  laws,  which  require  the  officers  of 
election  fo  betaken  equally  from  each  political  party. 

(Persons  offering  to  vote,  whose  votes  may  be  rejected  by  the  judges  are 
notified  that  they  will  be  immediately  arrested  by  the  military. 

5.  The  judges  of  election  are  notified,  that  they  will  be  arrested  and  held  re- 
sponsible by  the  military,  should  they  permit  any  disloyal  men  to  vote. 

6:  The  Democratic  ticket  is  struck  from  the  poll-books  at  many  points' Mhpino 
composed  of  disloyal  men.  '    aucillfe 

7. .Oaths  unknown  to  the  Constitution  and  laws  are  required  to  be  taken  b?  the 
voters  and  judges.  J 


6 

A  careful  perusal  of  the  orders  themselves  will  show  that  they  hare  not  been 
misrepresented  in  this  summary.  Examine  carefully,  fellow-citizens,  we  beseech 
you,  the  picture  which  they  present.  The  Governor  of  Kentucky  calls  the  at- 
tention of  the  judges  to  a  single  one  of  many  laws  which  define  their  duty,  and 
that  one  a  law  whose  rierid  enforcement  was  supposed  to  be  beneficial  to  his  own 
political  party  and  injurious  only  to  his  opponents.  General  Burnside  enforces 
the  proclamation  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  the  purity  of  elections,  and  (while 
himself  threatening  the  judges  of  election,  should  they  permit  a  disloyal  vote  to 
be  east)  directs  that  the  soldier  shall  interfere  no  further  than  may  be  necessary 
to  enable  the  judges  to  discbarge  their  duties  under  the  laws  of  Kentucky.  His 
subordinate  threaten  the  judges  and  voters  with  confiscation,  arrest  and  imprison- 
ment ami  actually  publish  their  orders  and  carry  out  their  threats  without  punish- 
ment from  the  General  or  remonstrance  from  the  Governor. 

In  addition  to  all  this  there  was  at  work  beneath  the  surface  a  potent  machinery, 
whose  labors  could  be  traced  only  by  results,  for  the  work  was  done  in  darkness 
and  in  secret.  • 

In  every  city,  town  and  considerable  village  in  the  Commonwealth,  there  had 
long  been  organized,  under  the  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  a  body 
of  men  known  as  a  ''  Bond  of  Trade,"  an  innocent  title,  little  expressive  of  their 
true  functions.  Under  the  same  regulations  of  the  Secretary  no  shipments  of 
goods  to  the  interior  of  the  State  could  be  made  without  the  permit  of  the  United 
om  House  .officers  at  Cincinnati  or  Louisville.  In  order  to  obtain  such 
a  permit  the  individual  applying  must  have  procured  the  recommendation  of  the 
"  Board  of  Trade"  located  ueavest  to  his  plaee*bf  business,  and  the  recommenda- 
tion was  given  to  none  but  "loyal"  men,  each  Board  establishing  its  own  test  of 
"loyalty/'  Without  such  recommendation  no  merchant  could  hope  to  add  to  his 
stock  by  importation — no  mechanic  to  replenish  the  materials  necessary  in  his 
calling.  These  inquisitorial  bodies,  therefore,  held  in  their  hands  the  absolute 
fate  of  every'tradesman  and  mechanic  in  the  State.  The  prosperous  merchant 
and  needy  shopkeeper  were  alike  at  their  mercy.  The  tradesman  and  mechanic 
were  thus  left  to  choose  between  a  vote  for  Mr.  Bramlette  and  the  utter  ruin  of 
their  busini 

Such,  fdlow.-citizens,  were  the  circumstances  under  which  the.  election  of  Aug. 
8d  wa>  begum  Its  result,  was  no  longer  doubtful:  Had  Gen.  Burnside  designated 
by  name  the  individuals  who  should  fill  the  various  offices  of  the  State,  he  would 
have  saved  us  the  expense  and  trouble  of  an  ''election"— the  rights  of  the  people 
would  not  have  been  more  flagrantly  violated,  nor  would  the  oiTicials  thus  ap- 
pointed have  been  any  more  the  creatures  of  his  will  than  are  those  whom  he  has 
more  indirectly  imposed  upon  us. 

The  limits  to  which  we  arc  confined,  forbid  any  attempt  at  a  detailed  account  of 
the  inauuerlu  winch  the  ^election"  was  conducted.  The  military  orders  before 
referred  to  were  carried  out  with  rare  fidelity,  by  those  to  whom  their  execution 
was  entrusted.  A  few  officers  (to  their  lasting  praise  be  it  spoken,)  openly  ex- 
pre8Sed  the  shame  they  felt  at  their  connection  with  such  a  task.  Armed  soldiers 
were  stationed  at  every  considerable  poll.  The  judges  of  election  were,  contrary 
to  law,  taken  exclusively  from  the  ranks  of  our  opponents.  Many  weak  men,  ap-. 
prehensive  of  injury  to  person  and  property,  cast  their  votes  for  Mr.  Bramlette, 
in  violation  of  their  convictions.  The  votes  of  many  more,  when  offered  for  our 
pandidates,  were  Illegally  rejected.  Thousands  of  others  were  deterred  from  an 
attempt  to  vote  by  the  knowledge  that  illegal  tests  would  be  applied  to  them,  their 
votes  refused  yfcnd [themselves  probably  arrested.  The  names  of  our  candidates 
were  illegally  stricken  from  the  poll  books  at  many  precincts,  and  never  placed 
ipon  them  at  others,  Judge*  were  arrested  for  refusing  to  conduct  the  election 
in  a  manner  forbidden  by  the  laws  of  Kentucky  and  their  own  oath,  a.nd  voters 
were  imprisoned  for  the  high  crime  of  confessing  themselves  Democrats. 

These  are  sweeping  charges,  but  they  can  readily  be  substantiated.  That"  we 
may  not,  be  supposed  to  avoid  specification,  we  publish  in  the  appendix  (marked 
NO.  16)  a  Statement  showing  the  outrages  perpetrated  at  different  points  in  more 
than  twenty  counties.  Our  materials  are  ample  to  swell  the  list  almost  indefinitely, 
but  these  will  be  sufficient  to  indicate  the   general  character  of  the  whole.     Th£ 


facts  stated  are,  some  of  them,  within  our  personal  knowledge— the  remainder 
have  been  communicated  to  us  by  gentlemen  in  whose  veracity  we  have  entire 
confidence,  and  whose  names  are  in  our  possession.  We  particularly  invite  your 
attention  to  the  report  of  Major  Gibson,  the  Certificates  of  Capt.  Leeson  and  Ser- 
geant Brown,  and  the  protest  of  the  Hon.  Charles  A.  Wicklift'e,  official  documents 
whose  correctness  even  our  opponents  will  not  question.  They  are  numbered  S, 
13, 14  and  15  in  the  appendix. 

In  connection  with  -these  statements,  and  as  fully  supporting  them,  we  publish 
in  the  appendix  (marked  No.  17)  a  table  showing  the  official  vote  cast  for  each 
candidate  for  Governor,  and,  in  parallel  columns,  the  total  vote  cast,  and  the 
number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  in  each  county.  It  will  be 
perceived  that  the  whole  number  of  vote's  cast  was  84,930,  of  which  Mr.  Bram- 
lette  received  67,580,  while  the  Lumber  of  persons  entitled  to  vote  was  182,246. 
The  votes  of  over  97  thousand  citizens  were,  therefore,  unpolled.  How  these 
votes  would  have. been  cast  had  the  election  been  untrammeled,  is  a  question  which 
we  think  every  candid  reader  of  this  paper  has  already  determined  in  his  mind. — 
We  have  shown  that  every  species  of  inducement  was  offered  to  allure  the  voter 
to  the  one  party — every  means  of  intimidation  and  violence  had  been  used  to  pre- 
vent his  support  of  the  other.  We  now  leave  our  readers  to  draw  their  own 
conclusions  as  to  the  direction  in  which  the  unpolled  vote  would  have  been  ca?t 
had  all  external  influence  been  removed. 

Returning  to  the  table  of  the  vote  cast,  it  will  be  perceived  that  in  twelve  coun- 
ties not  a  single  vote  was  permitted  to  be  cast  for  Wickliffe.  In  eight  others  he 
received  less  than  ten  votes  to  the  county.  In  fifteen  others.be  received  less  than 
fifty  votes  to  the  county.  In  sixteen  others  he  received  less  than  one  hundred 
votes  to  the  county.  These  fifty-one  counties  embrace  many  of  the  strongest 
Democratic  counties  in  the  State. 

In  only  twenty-eight  counties  of  the  State  did  .Mr.  Bramlette  receive  a  majority 
of  the  population  entitled  to  vote.  Less  than  two-fifths  of  the  population  entitled 
to  vote  have  made  him  Governor  of  Kentucky. 

It  is  contended  by  the  Administration  press  that  the  deficiency  in  -the  vote  cast 
is  attributable  to  the  absence  of  many  Kentucky  soldiers  in  the  army  of  the 
United  States,  all  of  whom  would  have  voted  for  Mr.  Bramlctte,  and  the  enlist- 
ment of  others  in  the  Southern  ar»fies,  who  have  thereby  lost  the  right  to  vote. — 
On  this  point  we  have  to  say — 

First.  That  the  number  of  white  males  over  twenty-one  years  of  age,  as  pub- 
lished in  our  appendix,  is  taken  from  the  Auditor's  report  for  18tV2,  aid  notwith- 
standing the  accession  of  thousands  of  young  men  to  the  age  of  maturity  in  the 
meantime,  it  is  nine  thousand  less  in  number  than  was  reported  by  the  Auditor  h\ 
1861.  The  falling  off  can  be  accounted  for  in  no  other  way  than  by  the  fact  that 
the  soldiers  who  bad  left  their  home?  to  join  either  army,  in  the  fall  of  1861, 
were  dropped  from  the  returns,  and  are  not  included  in  the  Auditor's  report  for 
1862. 

Secondly.  That  hundreds  of  those  who  were  known  to  be  friendly  to  the  Ad- 
ministration were  furloughed  and  sent  home  to  vote. 

Thirdly.  That,  a  large  dumber  of  Kentuckians  in  the  United  States  army  are 
under  21  years  of  age,  and  therefore  not  entitled  to  vote ;  and  lastly,  that  they 
are  very  far  from  being  unanimous  in  support  of  Mr.  Bramlette  or  the  Adminis- 
tration. 

We  have  said,  however,  that  our  object  is  to  state  what  has  happened,  not  to 

speculate  upon  what  might  orlvould  have   happened  in    contingencies  which   did 

not  occur.  To  »llsueh  speculation  on  the  part,ofour  opponents  wc  answer  by  a  single 

question:     If  the  majority  of  the  people  were  in  favor  <•/  your  candidates,   why 

■   resort  t<>  illegal  and  unconstitutional  means  to  disfranchise  us  ? 

Tt  will  already  have  occurred  to  the  intelligent  reader  that  an  election  thus 
carried  should  have  been  contested.  The  Constitution  of  Kentucky  provides  that 
4  all  elections  shall  be  free  and  equal,"  that  the  privilege  of  free  suffrage  shall  be 
'upported  by  laws  regulating  elections  and  «' prohibiting ',  under  adequate  penalties, 
all  undue  influences  thereon  from  bribery,  tumult  or  other  improper  practices," 
and  'hat  "contested  elections  for  Governor  and  Lieutenant-Governor  shall  be 


determined  by  tlie  General  Assembly,  according  to  such  regulations  as  may  bo 
established  by  law.1'  Sorely  the  spirit  of  these  provisions  wo,uld  avoid  any 
election 'such  as  wo  hare  described.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  laws  enacted  in 
conformity  with  them  Impose  penalties  upon  the  guilty  of  the   off 

against  the  right  of  free  suffrage',  enumerated  in  the  Constitution,  without  pro- 
viding; that,  the  validity  of  the  election  itself  shall  be  in  anywise  affected  by  the 
commission  of  such  offenses.  Our  law-givers  did  not  contemplate  the  possibility 
of  a  forcible  interference  so  extensive  as  to  taint  the  whole  election;  and  so,  in 
establishing  a  Board  for  the  trial  of  contested  elections,  they  made  no  provision 
for  such  a  contingency)  but  simply  directed  that  "the  candidate  receiving  the 
higltett  number  of  legal  votes  given"  should  be  adjudged  to  be  the  person  elected. 

As  the  investigation  is  thus  limited  to'the  number  ofi  given,  it  matters 

not  how  many  men  were  driven  into  the  support  of  Mr.  Bramlette  by  threats  of 
military  violence,  nor  how  many  others  were  deterred  from  voting  for  Mr.  Wick- 
liffe  by  the  knowledge  that  their  votes,  if  offered,  would  not  be  received.  The  ar- 
rest of  Judges  and  voters,  the  erasure  of  the  names  of  candidates  from  the  poll 
books,  the  administration  of  illegal  oaths — all  these,  too,  are  wroogs  which  do  not 
so  affect  the  validity  of  an  election  as  to  be  available  in  a  contest  before  the  tribu- 
nal established  by  law — a  tribunal,  be  it  remembered,  whose  own  seats  had  been 
obtained  by  the  same  practices  upon  which  their  judgment  was  to  be  asked. — 
Considerations  like  these  constrained  us  reluctantly  to  abandon  all  idea  of  contest- 
ing the  election,  and  haye  left  us  without  other  remedy  than  this  appeal  to  the 
sober  judgment  of  the  people. 

On  the  1st  .day  of  September  Mr.  Bramlette  took  the  oaths  and  entered  upon 
the  discharge  of  tlm  duties  of  the  office  to  which  he  had  thus  been  elected.  His 
inaugural  address  lies  before  us,  and  while  to  many  of  his  positions  we  can  make 
no  objection,  there  are  passages  to  be  found  in  it  which  strikingly  illustrate  the 
correctness  of  the  suspicions  which  led  us  to  nominate  a  candidate  in  opposition 
to  him.  He  continues  to  defend  the  rightfulness  of  military  arrests  without 
limiting  his  argument' to  the  theatre  of  hostilities.  He  maintains  the  right  to  re- 
strain the  publication  of  new-papers,  when  "reasonable  grounds"  exist  to  be- 
lieve that  they. have  been  auilty  ofj  or  are  about  to  commit  acts  to  tlio  danger  of 
the  public  security,  without  intimating  who  is  to  decide  upon  the  reasonable 
character  of  the  suspicions.  lie  objects  to  the  policy  of  negro  enlistments,  but 
admits  the  existence  of  a  rightful  power  in*  the  Administration  for  that  purpose. — 
He  denies  the  right  of  the  people  to  limit  or  control  the  public  expenditure  in 
time  of  waj.  Iu  these  most  important  particulars,  he  contradicts  the  platform  of 
his  party.  He  does  far  more  :  lie  denies  to  the  citizen  those  invaluable  rights 
of  freedom  from  arrest  without  warrant,  of  free  speech,  of  control  over  public 
supplies,  for  which  the  English  people  fought  for  five  hundred  years,  and  which 
our  forefathers  inheriting  from  them,  believed  they  had  bequeathed  to  us  inviolate 
forever.  * 

For  the  present,  fellow-citizens,  the  late  of  Kentucky  is  sealed.  Her  very  de- 
votion to  the  Constitution  has  been  made  the  means  whereby  to  deprive  her  peo- 
ple of  every  constitutional  right.  Deceived  and  betrayed,  she  lies  prostrate  and 
helpless — wept  by  her  friends — derided  by  the  oppressors.  But  there  is  that  in  , 
the  spirit  of  her  people  which  tells  us  it  will  not  be  for  long-  Like  fabled  Anta- 
eus, who,  each  time  he  touched  his  mother  earth,  started  up  with  redoubled 
strength,  her  fall  will  but  invigorate  her  for  a  struggle  yet  to  come.  That  her 
.independence  may  be  restored  to' her  by  the  peaceful  remedies  ol  the  Constitution, 
rather  thau  by  violent  convulsion,  must  be  the  earnest  prayer  of  every  lover  of 
his,  country.  * 

We,  therefore,  present  this  address  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  and 
especially  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  soon  to  assemble ;  praying  that 
body  to  adopt  such  measures  as,  in  their  judgment,  will  secure  to  the  States .aiS- 
hering  to  the  Union,  the  freodom  of  election,  without  which,  the  very  basis*  of 
our  liberties  is  destroyed. 

W.A.DUDLEY,  NAT.  WOLFE, 

J.  H.  HARNEY,  K.  K.  WHITE, 

W.  F.  BULLOCK,  JOSH.  F.  BULLITT, 

R.  C.  PALMER,  # 

Committee  on  bcJfalf  of  the  Democratic  party. 


APPENDIX. 


No,  1. 

Louwvilli,  Jnn«  18,  1861. 

Hojt.  0.  A.  WicklifFe— Bear  Sir : — The  undersigned,  in  behalf  of  many  iu 
all  parts  of  this  Commonwealth,  believe  it  a  political  necessity  to  reorganize  the 
Democratic  party  in  the  State,  in  association  with  those  of  the  North  who  have 
stood  bv  the  Government  and  the  Constitution  throughout  this  deplorable  civil 
war.  They  constitute  the  only  political  party  of  the  North  with  whom  any  party 
South  will  have  any  affiliation,  whilst  a  political  association  between  the  two  sta- 
tions of  the  country  is  indispcns  ble  to  a  restoration  of  the  Union. 

We  cannot  consent  to  the  doctrine  that  the  Constitution  and  laws  are  inadequats 
to  the  present  emergency ;  that  the  constitutional  guarantees  of  liberty  and 
property  can  be  suspended  by  war. 

Our  fathers  certainly  did  not  intend  that  our  Constitution  should  be  a  fair- 
weather  document,  to  be  laid  away  in  a  storm,  or  a  fancy  garment  to  be  worn  only 
in  dry  weather.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  in  times  like  the  present  that  constitutional 
restraints  on  the  power  of  those  in  authority  are  needed. 

We  hold  the  Federal  Government  to  be  one  of  limited  powers^that  cannot  bo  en- 
larged by  the  existence  of  civil  commotion. 

We  hold  the  rights  reserved  to  the  States  equally  sacred  with  those  granted  to 
the  United  States.  The  Government  has  no  more  right  to  disregard  the  Constitu- 
tion and  laws  of  the  States  than  the  States  have  to  disregard  the  Constitution  and. 
laws  of  the  United  States. 

We  hold  that  the  Administration  has  committed  grave  errors  in  confiscation 
bills,  lawless  proclamations,  arid  military  orders  setting  aside  Constitutions  and 
laws,  and  making  arrests  outside  of  military  lines  where  there  is  no  public  danger 
to  excuse  it.  ♦• 

It  is  now  obvious  that  the  fixed  purpose  of  the  Administration  is  to  arm  tha 
negroes  of  the  South  to  make  war  upon  the  whites,  and  we  hold  it  to  be  the  duty 
Of  the  people  of  Kentucky  to  enter  against  such  a  policy  a  solemn  and  most  em- 
phatic protest. 

We  hold  as  sacred  and  inalienable  the  right  of  free  speech  and  a  free  press- 
that  the  Government  belongs  f  o  the  people  and  not  the  people  to  the  Government. 
We  hold  this  rebellion  utterly  unjustifiable  in  its  inception,  and  a  dissolution  of 
the  Union  the  greatest  of  calamities.      We  would  use  all  just  and  constitutional 
means  adapted  to  the  suppression  of  the  one  and  ttle  restoration  of  the  other. 

Having  observed  youx  uniform  and  consistent  course  since  the  origin  of  our 
troubles,  we  believe  you  a  faithful  representative  of  our  views,  and  urgently  re- 
quest that  you  permit  yoiu;  name  to  be  used  as  a  Democratic  candidate  for  Gov- 
ernor at  the  ensuing  election.  , 
"Yours  respectfully, 

•W.  F.  Bullock,  Josh.  F.  Bullit, 

Robert  "Cochran,  Geo.  W.  Johnston, 

L.  S.  Trimble,  Robt.  M.  Smith, 

Thos.  P.  Hughes,  T.  J.  Conn, 

R.  C.  Talnier,  ■  W.  A.  Dudley, 

Alfred  Herr,  W.  P.  Simmons, 

J.  P.  Chamber?,  John  T.  Bridges,. 

Wm.  K.  Thomas,  T.  J.  Hall, 

Wm.  J.  Reasor,  Samuel  N.  Hall, 

Robt.  K.  White,  Phil.  Tomppert,  Jr.,' 

J.  H.  Harney,  Jesse  F.  Hammon, 

Wm.  Kay,  P.  M.  Campion, 

N.  Wolfe,  W.  H.  Bailey, 

S.  M.  Hall,  Jacob  Abny, 

John  Herr,  J.  H.  Price. 

Cbas.  h.  Harrison, 


10 

No.  -i. 

PROCLAMATION    UY    Til  K    OOVKRNOR. 

Commonwkautu  OV  Kenti  ^ 

Executive  Department      \ 

For  the  information  and  guidance  of  all  officers  at  the  approach  >n,  I 

have  caused  to  be  herewith  published  an  act  of  the  Leeislature  of  Kentucky,  en- 
titled "  An  act  to  amend  chapter  15  of  the  Revised:  Statutes,  entitled  'Citizens, 
Expatriation  and  Aliens."1 

The  strict  observance  and  enforcement  ol  this,  and  all  other  laws  of  this  State 
regulating  re  earnestly  enjoineditfnd  Required,  a<  being  alike  due  to  a 

faithful  disc  duty,  to  the  purity  ol  the  elective  franchise,  and  to  the  bov« 

ereign  will  of  the  people  of  Kentucky,  expr<  -h  their  Legislature. 

Given  under  my  hand  as  Governor  ol  Kentucky,  a  I  Frankfort,  thfs  loth  day- 
of  July,  1863,  and  in  the  2i<\  year  of  the  Commonwealth. 

J.  P.  Robivsox. 

By  the  Governor:     1>.   0.  Wiokliffk,  Secretary  of •  State- 

Chapter  509! 

AN  ACT  to  amend  chapter    IS  of  the  Revised  Statute.-',  entitled  "Citizen;?,  Ex- 
patriation  and  Aliens." 

Sko  1.  H<  it  encXeUd  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Commoitwealth  of 
Kentucky,  That  any  citizen  of  this  State  who  shall  enter  into  the  service"  of  the 
so-called  Confederate  States,  in  either  a  civil  or  military  capacity,  or  enter  into 
the  service  of  the  so-called  Provisional  Government   ot  Kentucky,    either   in   a 

civil  or  military  capacity,  or  having  heretofore  entered  such  service  of  either 
the  Confederate  States  or  Provisional  Government,,  shall  continue  iu  such  ser- 
vice after  this  act  takes  effect,  or  shall  take  up  ©r  continue  in  arms  against  the 
military  forces  of  the  United  States  or  the  Suite  of  Ken.tueky,.-or  shall  give  vol- 
untary aid  and  assistance  to  those  in  arms  against  said  forces,  shall  be  deemed  to 
have  expatriated  himself,  and  shall  no  longer  be  a  citizen  *0f  Kentucky}  nor  shall 
he  again  be  a  citizen,  except  by  permission  of  the  Legislature  by  a  general  or 
:1  statute.  , 

Sbo.  2.  That  whenever  a  person  attempts'or  is  called  on  to  exercise  any  of  the 
constitutional  or  legal  rights  and  privileges  belonging  only  to  citizens  of  Kentucky, 
he  may  be  required  to  negative  on  oath  the  expatriation  provided  in  the  first  section 
of  this  act ;  and  upon  his  failure  or  refusal  to  do  so,  shall  not  be  permitted  to 
exercise  any  such  right  or  privilege. 

Sec.  3.     This  act  to  be  oMbrce  in  thirty  days  from  and  after  its  passage. 

Passed  and  became  a  law,  the  objections  of  the  Governor  to  the  contrary  not 
withstanding,  March  11,  18<>2. 

\Y'   append  hereto  the  order  of  Major-General  Burnnide  : 

MARTIAL    LAW    IN    KEM'VcKY. 

General  Orders   tfo.  120. 

Headquarters  Dki-'t  or  the  Ohio,  ) 
Cincinnati,  O.,  July  31,  L868.       ) 
Whereat,  The  State  of  Kentucky  is  invaded  by  a  rebel  force  with  the  avowed 
intention  oi  overawing  the  judges  of  elections,  of  intimidating  the  loyal  voters, 
keeping  them  from  the  polls  i  ml  forcing  the  election  of  disloyal  candidates  fit,  ("lie 
elect! >n  the  3d  of  August;  and,  whereas,  the  military  power  <>f  the  Govern- 
ment is  the1  only    force    that  can   defeat   this   attempt,    the    Stale   of  Kentucky   is 
hereby  declared  under  martial  law,  ami  all  military  officers  are  commanded  to  aid 
the  constituted  authorities  of  the  State  in  support  of  the  laws  and  of  the  purity 
iffrage,  as  defined  in  the  late  proclamation  of  His  Excellency,  Governor  Rob- 
inson. 

As  it  is  not  the  intention  of  the  Commanding  Geneva!  to  interfere  with  the 
proper  expression  of  public  opinion,  all  discretion  in  the  conduct  of  the  election 
will  be  as  usual  in  the  hands  of  the  legally  appointed  judges  at  the  polls,  who  will 
be  held  strictly  responsible  that  no  disloyal  person  be  allowed  to  vote,  and  to  this 
end  th,e  military  power  is  ordered  to  give  them  its  utmost  support. 


11 

The  civil  authority, 'civil  courts  and  business  will  not  be  suspended  by  this  order. 
It  is  for  the  purpose  only  of  protecting,  if  necessary,  the  rights  of  loyal  citizens, 
and  the  freedom  of  election. 

By  command  of  Major-Geueral  Burnsidc. 

-    Lewis  Richmond,  A.  A.  G. 

«  Official :  R.  H.  I.  Goddard,  A.  A.  A.    G. 
•  '  

No.  3. 
tl  To  Col.  Butler:  Persons  of  open  and  avowed   disloyalty  will  not  be  permit- 
ted to  stand  for  office.     The  provisions  of  Ge*h.   Burnside't  order  120  must  be 
strictlv  enforced.      »' 
•      "  By  command.  A.  C.  Sbmplh,   A.  *Y..    G." 

C.  A.  Wickliffe  protests  against  tho  act  by  which  his  name  was  stricken  from 
the  poll-books,  and  the  people  denied  the  privilege  of  voting  for  him  as  a  candi- 
date for  the  office  of  Governor. 

He  states  that  he  has  ever  been  opposed  to  secession  or  a  dissolution  of  the 
Union. 

He  is  in  favor  of  a  restoration  of  the  Union  as  h  was  under  the  present  Con- 
stitution. 

He  has  opposed  the  abolition  of  slavery  as  a  war  measure  and  the  arming  of  ne- 
groes as  soldiers  of  the  armv  of  the  United'  States,  and  voted  against  the  appro- 
priation bill  at  the  last  session  after  the  House  refused  to  adopt  the  proviso  offered 
by  Mr.  Mallory,  providing,  in  substance,  Jhat  no  part  of  the  money  should  be  . 
expended,  iu  freeing  negroes,  in  arming  and  paying  negroes  as  soldiers  of  the 
army.  Mr.  Crittenden,  Mr.  Mallory,  Mr.  Menzies,  Mr.  Harding,  Mr.  Yeama'n  and 
Mr.'Grider  opposed  the  bill,  and  refused  to'yote  for  it  for  the  same  reasons. 

I  deny  that  I  am  disloyal  to  the  Government  or  to  the  Constitution. 

I  request  the  judges  to  file  this  paper  with  the  poll-books  and  returns. 

C.  A.   Wickliffe. 

The  foregoing  is  a  copy  of  a  protest  attached  to  poll-book  No.   9,  in  Nelson 
county,  now  in  our  possession,  as  a  board  for  examining  the  poll-books  for  Nelson  • 

Attest :  T.   P.   Linthiccm,  J.  N.  C.  C. 

Jas.   Wood,  S.  N.   C. 

We,  the  judges  of  election  held  at  the  court-house  in  Bardstown,  Nelson  co., 
Ky.,  in  Precinct  No.  9.  on  this  Rd  day  of  August,  1S63,  do  certify  that  the  names 
of  C.  A.  Wickliffe,  a  candidate  for  Governor  of  Kentucky,  W.  B.  Read,  candi- 
date for  the  office  of  Lieut.  Governor  of  Kentucky,  were  erased  from  the  poll- 
books  by  Lieut.  CoUButlcr,  commanding,  the  Fifth  Regiment,  Indiana  Cavalry, 
tJ.  S.  Army, .now  with  headquarters  at  this  place,  who  would  permit  no  voter  to  • 
vote  for  said  persons  for  said  offices.  The  names  of  William  Johnson,  candidate 
for  County  Attornev,  and  Austin  Mattingly,  candidate  for  County  Court  Clerk, 
were  stricken  from  the  poll-book  in'  the  manner  aforesaid,  and  no  person  allowed  ^ 
to  vote  for  them.  E.  E.  McKay  having  notified  us  in  writing,  at  the  hour  of  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  that  he  was  no  longer  a  candidate  for  County  Attorney, 
and  that  his  name   must  be  stricken  from  the  poll-book,    which   was   accordingly 

done.  •  „    ,  . . 

We  dp  further  certify  that  the  foregoing  p#ges  contain  the  vote  polled  at  said 
precinct  for  the  candidates  whose  names  were  not  stricken  off,  to  wit :  For  Gov- 
'  ernor— Thomas  E.  Bramlette,  60  votes.  For  Lieut.  Governor— Richard  T.  Jacob, 
60  votes.  For  Attorney  General— John  M.  Harlen,  60.  For  Attorney  General- 
Thomas  Turner,  1  vote.  For  State  Treasurer— Jam'ea  H.  Gerrard,  59  votes,  ar.c, 
II.  F.  Kalfus,  1  vote.  For  Auditor— William  T.  Samuels,  60  votes,  and  Gvaui. 
Green,  1  vote.  For  Register 'of  Land  Office— James  A.  Dawson,  59  votes,  and 
Tho^  J.  Frazier,  1  vote.  For  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction-*-Dan5el 
Stevenson,  59  votes,  and  T.  C.  McKee,  1  vote.  For  the  Legislature— W.  Hi.  El- 
liott 66  votes.  For  Concie?s—  Aaron  Harding,  6l  votes  and  Win.  Ila.ly,  ,.  vole*. 
For'Couqty  Attorney— G.  W.  Hite,  56  votes  and  E.  E.  McKay,    19  votes.     For 


12 

County  Court  CUrk— W.  J.  Spalding,  84  rotes,  John  S.  Bean,  41  rotes  and  W. 
M.  Powell,  ft  rote*. 

Matiik.w  Jrrrx,  (Judge8. 

Jonathan    Rodgers,      \       b 

T.  W.   Samuils,  Sherut. 

J.  B.   IIackley,  Clerk. 

The  foregoing  is  a  trua  copy  of  the  certificate  on  the  poll-book  *bf  preeinot  No- 
y,  in  Nelson  county,  now  in  our  possesion  as  a  board  for  examining  the  poll- 
books. 

Attest:  T.   P.  Linthicvm,  ^.   N.  C.  G. 

Jas.  Wood,   S^   N.  C. 

«  No.  4. 

QBNIWAI.   HARTSUPF   AND   REBEL   SYMPATHIZERS, 

HEADQUARTERS    23D   ARMY    CORPS,  t 

Lexington,  Ky.,  July  29,  1868.      f 

General  Orders  JVb.  14. 

For  the  information  and  guidamce  of  officers  in  impressing  property,  it  is  hereby 
directed  that,  whenever  its  impressment  may  become  necessary  for  the  troops  of 
the  Twenty-third  army  corps,  it  will  be  taken  exclusively  from  rebels  and  rebel 
sympathisers ;  and  so  long  as  the  property  needed  is  to  be  found  belonging  or 
pertaining  to  either  of  the  above  named  classes,  no  man  of  undoubted  loyalty 
will  be  molested. 

Among  rebel  sympathisers. will  be  classed  those  persons  in  Kentucky,  nomi- 
nally Union  men,  but  opposed  to  the  Government  and  to  the  prosecution  of  the  tear, 
whose  acts  and  words  alike  hinder  the  speedy  and  proper  termination  of  the  re- 
bellion. 

Property  will  only  be  taken  by  the  proper  Staff  officers,  who  will  in  every  cast 
give  receipts  for  it.  Appropriate  blank  roeeipts  will  be  furnished  by  the  Chief 
Commissary  and  Chief  Quartermaster  at  the^e  headquarters. » 

By  command  of  Major-General  Hartstj? 9. 

Geo.  B.  Drake,  A.  A.  G. 

No.  s. 
Headquarters"  United  States  Forces,  I 
Bmithland,  Ky.,  July  16,  1808.      f 
General    Order. 

The  County  Court  Judges  ©f  the  counties  of  Trigg,  Caldwell,  Lyon,  Crittca* 
den  and  Livingston,  are  hereby  directed,  in  appointing  Judges  and  Clerks  for 
conducting  the  State  election  in  August  next,  to  observe*  strictly  the  laws  ot 
Kentucky,  which  require  that  such  Judges  and  Clerks  shall  be  unconditional 
Union  men. 

Judges  and  Clerks  so  appointed  are  hereby  directed  not  to  pkvo  tho  name  of 
any  person  on  the  poll-books  to  be  voted  for  at  said  election  who  is  not  a  Union 
•  man,  or  who  may  be  opposed  to  fumi  shiny  men  and  money  for  <i  vigorous  prose- 
mtion  of  the  war  against  the  rebellion  against  tho  United  states  Government.*" 
The  Judges  and  Clerks  »re  further  directed  to  permit  no  person  to  vote  at  said 
election  without  taking  the  oath  required  by  the  laws  of  Kentucky,  unless  said 
p.  ihon  so  presenting  himself  to  vo/e  is  personally  known  to  the  Judges  to  be  a 
Union  man. 

Any  person  violating  this  order  will  be  regarded  as  an  enemy  to  the  (iovein- 
inontof  the  United  States,  and  will  be  arrested  and  punished  accordingly. 
By  order  of  Thomas  Johnson, 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Commanding. 

OATH. 

1  do  Holcraiily  ■weal  that  I  have  never  entered  tho  service  of  the  so-called 
Confederate  States  of  America,  and  that  t  have  not  ha- on  engaged  m  the  serylep 


13 

ot  the  *o-callod  Provisional  Government  of  Kentutky,  either  in  a  civil  or  mili- 
tary capacity,  and  that  I  have  never,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  aided  in  the 
rebellion  against  the  United  States,  or  the  State  of  Kentucky,  so  help  me  God. 


General  Orders  No.    1. 


Xo.  6. 

Headquarters  Military  Commands*,  ( 
Louisville,  Ky.,  August  1,  1603.      J 

[Extract.] 


1.  The  loyal  and  peaceable  citizens  of  the  city  of  Louisville  and  Jefferson 
county  may  disabuse  their  minds  of  all  apprehensions  of  evil  at  the  coming 
election  notwithstanding  the  busily  circulated  rumors  that  a  rebel  force  has  in- 
raded  the  State  to  molest  the  loyal  men, who  may  go  to  the  polls  to  exercise 
their  franchise  rights. 

All  loyal  citizens,  who  have  Bot  forfeited  their  citizenship,  can  safely  and 
quietly  cast  their  votes  for  the  candidates  of  their  choice ;  but  all  who  have 
forfeited  their  right  of  citizenship  under  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  Assembly, 
who  shall  present  themselves  at  the  polls  and  fraudulently  attempt  to  vote,  will 
be  immediately  arrested  by  the  guard  detailed  for  that  purpose  at  such  precinct 
and  confined  in  the  military  prison.  ♦ 

Reliable  citizens,  who  know  the  record  of  each  resident  in  the  several  pre- 
cincts, will  be  in  attendance  to  point  out  to  the  guard  any  who  shall  make  the 
attempt  to  perpetrate  a  fraud  against  the  election  laws,  and  no  dragging  up  to 
the  polls,  bantering,  examining  of  tickets  or  other  interference  with  the  right* 
of  the  voting  citizen  by  police  officers  or  others  will  be  permitted. 

By  order  of  Colonel  M.  Munday,  Military  Commander. 
y  C.  C.  .Adams,  Lieutenant  and  A,  A.  A.  G. 

,  .    .  No.  7. 

Headquarters  District  of  Kentucky,  \ 
Louisville,  July  25,-1863.      f 

By  authority  of  the  General  commanding  the  Department,  the  following 
general  order  is  made :        \ 

1.  It  is  ordered  that  no  forage  or  other  property  belonging  to  loyal  citizens 
in  the  State  of  Kentucky  be  seized  or  impressed  except  in  cases  of  absolute  ne- 
cessity, and  then  only  on  the  written  authority  from  the  headquarters  of  the 
Twenty- third  Army  Corps  or  from  fciese  headquarters. 

2.  Whenever  it  becomes  necessary  to  seize  or  impress  private  property  for 
military  purposes,  the  property  of  sympathizers  with  the  rebellion  and  of  those 
opposed  to  furnishing  any  more  men  or  any  more  money  to  maintain  the  Fede- 
ral Government  and  suppress  the  rebellion,  will  ba  first  seized  and  impressed. 

8.  The  negroes  of  loyal  citizens  will  not  be  impressed  on  the  public  works 
and  military  roads  unless  absolutely  necessary  The  negroes  of  citizens  who 
are  for  no  more  men  and  no  more  money  to  suppress  the  rebellion,  and  the  gup- 
porters,  aiders  and  abettors  of  such  will  be  first  impressed,  and  officers  detailed 
for  the  purpose  are  required  strictly  to  observe  this  order  in  the  execution  of 
their  duties. 

4.  All  horses  of  the  enemy  dptured,  or  subjeet  to  capture,  will  be  tak$n 
possession  of  by  Quartermasters  and  reported  to  *  aptain  Jenkins,  Chief  Quarter- 
master, Louisville,  who  is  ordered  to  allow  loyal  citizens  to  retain  horses  to 
supply  the  places  of  t'nose  stolen  by  the  enemy  ;  but  disloyal  persons  mentioned 
in  paragraphs  two  and  three,  who  encourage  raids  by  the  enemy,  will  not,  in 
any  ease,  be  allowed  to  retain  Captured  horses  or  horses  justly  subject  to  cap- 
ture. 

g.  For  all  property  seized  and  impressed^  proper  and  regular  vouchers  will  bo 
given,  with  endorsement  is  to  the  loyalty  or  disloyalty  of  the  owners  of  the 
property.  By  order  of  General  Boyle. 

A.  C.  Skkfle,  A.  A.  <S.     . 


14 

No.  8. 

You  will  And,  enclosed  a  virbatiit^  et  literatim,  et  puketuaUin  copy  of  an  or- 
der served  on  the  judges  0/  the  election  at  Threlkeld's  procinct,  Livingston 
county,  Ky.,  the  re.ult  of  which  wastnatuo  person  after  that  time  (one  o'clock, 
J'.  M.)  WM  allowed  to  vote  for  Mr.  Hodges,  although  several  claimed  the  right 
to  do  so  ;  besides,  as  the  liberty  of  the  voter  was  thus  taken  away,  quite  a 
number  left  the  precinct,  refusing  and  declining  to  vote  unless  they  could  vote 
lor  whom  they  pleased.  One  of  the  judges,  Leroy  Morris,  has  the  original  or- 
der, as  follows  : 

,  "CkIttknden  Coi-nty,  August,  1863. ' 

<k  I  hereby  notify  the  Judges  ot  the  Election  at  threilcils  Precinct  not  to 
enrol  Bloont  bodges  name  on  tho  Poll-boock  nor  no  other  Dis  Loyal  man,  nor 
let  no  Disloya'  man  vote. 

igned]  Jonathan  Bklt, 

"Com.  Co.  6th  Ky.  Cavalry." 

A  copy  of  the  original  order,  certified  by  the  judges  of  the  election,  Leroy 
Morris  and  Win.  8.  Davis,  attested  by  the  Clerk,  was  given  by  said  judges,  and 
has  been  placed  in  the  hinds  of  tho  Sheriff  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Blount  Bodges,  tho  opposing  candidate  to  N.  R.  Black  for  the  Senate,  so 
far  as  the  officer*  of  Che  election  knew,  or  was  informed,  is  as  loyal  a  citizen  as 
any  man  in  Kentucky,  but  not  an  Abolitionist. 

Henry  B.  Yates,  John  Springs  and  James  Dial,  professing  to  be  members  of 
Belt's  command,  (chat  of  Captain)  were  bearers  of  the  order. 

No.  9. 

•  Headquarters  U.  S.  Forces,  •  ( 

Henderson,  Ky.,  July  28,  1863.      } 
'i. 

In  order  that  the  proclamation  of  the  Governor  and  the  laws  of  the  State  of 
Kentucky  may  be  observed  and  enforced,  Post  Commandants  and  officers  of 
this  command  will  see  that  the  following  regulations  are  strictly  complied  with 
at  the  approaching  Sta*te  election  : 

None  but  loyal  citizens  will  act  as  officers  of  the  erection. 

No  one  will  be  allowed  to  offor  himself  as  a  candidate  for  office,  or  be  voted 
for  at  said  election,  who  is  not,  in  all  things,  loyal  to  the  State  and  Federal  Gov- 
ernments, and  in  f"ivor  of  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war  for  tho  suppression 
of  the  rebellion. 

The  judges  of  the  election  will  allow  no  one  to  vote  at  said  election  unless  he 
is  known  to  be  an  undoubtedly  loyal  citizen,  or  unless  he  shall  first  take  the 
oath  required  bytl  e  laws  of  the  State  of  Kcntu.ky. 

No  disloyal  1  1  in  will  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  or  attempt  to  vote,  except 
for  treasonable  pui  poses  ;  and  all  such  efforts  will  be  summarily  suppressed  by 
the  military  authorities. 

All  nec.ssai  y  protection  will  be  supplied  and  guaranteed  at  the  polls  to  Union 
men  by  all  the  military  force  in  this  command 

By  order  of  John  W.  Foster,  Colonel  commanding.  W.  A.  Page, 

Lieutenant  and  Adjutant.    . 

o    TH    T<)    F:  :    TAKFN    AT   THE    ELECTION. 

I  do  hereby  solemnly  swear  that  I  have  not  been  in  the  service  of  the  so- 
called  Confederate  States,  in  either  a  civil  or  military  capacity,  or  in  the  servico 
of  the  so-called  Provisional  (Government  of  Kentucky;  that  I  have  not  givon 
any  aid,  assistance  or  comfort  to  any  person  in  arms  against  the  United  States; 
and  that  1  have  in  all  things  demeaned  myself  as  a  loyal  citizen  since  the  be- 
ginning of  the  rebellion;  so  help  me  God! 

No.     10. 

Heaucjjarteus  16th  Army  Corps,  ( 

Memphis,  Tenn. ,  July.  ] 4,  1  K6.1.      \ 
Special    Ordeva    Nd.    lf>0.  ,  ,' 

'i.  In  so  much  of  the  State  of  Kentucky  as  is  within  the  District  of  Colum- 
bus, it  is  ordered — 


15 

1.  That  no  person  be  permitted  to  be  a  candidate  for  office,  who  is  not  avow- 
edly and  unconditionally  for  the  Union  and  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion. 

2.  That  no  person  shall  exercise  Ae  privilege  of  an  elector  and  vote  at  said 
elections,  who  is  not  avowedly  and  unconditionally  for  the  Union  and  the  sup- 
pression of  the  rebellion. 

3.  The  military  authorities  in  said  district  of  Columbus,  will  ceo  to  it  that  this 
order  be  carried  out.  Judges  of  elections  will  be  governed  by  the  principles 
herein  set  forth  and  will  demand  evidence  upon  oath  in  such  cases  as  may  be 
in  doubt,  and  allow  no  person  to  exercise  the  franchise  of  voting  who  does  not 

.    take  the  oath  required. 

By  order  of  Major-General  S.  A.  ITurlbiit. 

Henry  Binmore,  A.  A.  G. 

Headquarters  District  Columbus,  \ 

6th  Division,  16th  Army  Corps,  Columbus,  Ky.,  July  ]5,  1863.      \ 
Orders. 

The  above  orders  of  the   General  commanding  Corps  are  communicated  to 
the  civil  and  military  authorities  for  their  information.     Military  officers  making 
arrests  for  violation  of  these  orders  will  be  governed  by  the  Circular  from  office 
of  Commissary  General  of  Prison^,  dated  Washington,  May  li,  ;863. 
By  order  of  Brigadier-General  A«both. 

T.    IT.  Harris,  A.  A.  G. 


No.  11. 

ni 
Columbus,  Ky.,  July  29,  1863. 


Headquarters  6th  Division,  ICtn  Army  Corps,  i 


General  Orders,  No.   47.  •  • 

That  no  further  doubt  may  exist  as  to  the  intent  and  meaning  of  Special  Or- 
ders No.  159,  dated  Headquarters,  l6th*Army  Corps,  July  li,  1863,  it  is  ordered 
that  no  person  shall  be  permitted  to  be  voted  for,  or  be  a  candidate'  for  office, 
who  has  b*  en,  or  is  now  under  arrest  or  bonds,  by  proper  authority,  for  uttering 
.    disloyal  language  or  sentiments. 

County  Judges  wiihin  this  district  are  hereby  ordered  to  eppoint,  as  Judges 

*  and  Clerks  of  the  ensuing  August  election,  only  such  persons  as  are  avowedly 

and  unconditionally  for  the   Union  and  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion,  and 

are  further  ordered  to  revoke  and  recall  any  appointment  of  Judges  and  Clerks 

already  made,  who  are  not  such  loyal  persons. 

Judges  and  Clerks  of  elections  are  hereby  ordered  not  to  place  the  name  o* 
any  person  upon  the  poll-books,  to  be  voted  for  at  snid  election,  who  is  not 
avowedly  and  unconditionally  for  the  Union  and  the  suppression  of  the  rebel- 
lion, or  who  may  be  opposed  to  furnishing  men  and  money  foi  the  suppression 
of  the  rebellion. 

The  following  oath  is  prescribed  and  will  be  administered  by  Judges  of  elec- 
jionMo  voters  and  to  such  candidates  as  reside  within  this  district: 

"I  do  solemnly  ywear  that  I  have  never  entered  the  service  of  the  so-called  Con- 
federate States;  that  I  have  not  been  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  so-called  'Pro- 
visional Goven  nientof  Kentucky,'  e  ther  in  a  civil  or  militaiy  c  pacify ;  that  I 
have  never,  either  directly,  or  indirectly,  a^ed  the  rebellion  against  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  or  the  State  of  Kentucky;  that  I  »m  unconditionally 
for  the  UuiOii  and  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion,  and  am  willing  to  furnish 
men  and  money  for  tin-  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war  dgainet  tJte  rebellious  league 
known  as  the   'Confederate  States  ;'   .so  help  we  God." 

Any  vnter,  Judi:e  or  Clerk  of  elections,  or  other  person,  who  may  evade,  neg- 
lect or  refuse  compliance  with  the  provisions  of  this  order,  will  he  arrested  and 
sent  before  a  Military  Commission  as  soon  as  the  facts  are  substantiated. 

By  order  of  Brigadier-General  Asbotb. 

T.  H.  Harris,  A.  A.  G. 


16 

No.    12. 
Gt»wul   Ordrr,    Xo.  29.  ■ 

HkaDQUAR  PlflRS    l&T   Brioadb,  1 

2d  Division,  >i?A  Aruiy  Corps,  Russollvdle,  Ky.,  July  SO,  186&.      \ 

In  order  that  the  proclamation  of  the  Governor  and  the  laws  of  the,  State 
of  Kentucky  may  be  observed  and  enforced,  post  commandants  and  officers  of 
this  command  will  pee  that  the  following  regulations  are  strictly  complied  with 
at  the  approaching  State  election: 

None  but  loyal  citizens  will  act  as  officers  of  the  election. 

No  one  will  be  allowed  to  offer  himself  as  a  candidate,  for  office,  or  be  voted 
for  at  said  election,  who  is  not.  in  all  things,  loyal  to  the  State  and  Federal 
Governments,  and  in  favor  of  a  vigorous  prosecution*  of  the  war  for  the  sup- 
pression of  the  rebellion. 

The  judges  of  the  election  will  allow  no  one  to  vote  at  said  election  unless 
he  is  known  to  tbem  to  bo  an  undoubtedly  loyal  citixen,  or  unless  he  shall  first 
take  the  oath  required  by  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kentucky. 

No  djsloyal  man  will  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  or  attempt  to  vote,  except 
for  treasonable  purposes  ;  and  all  such  efforts  will  bo  summarijy  suppressed  by 
the  military  authorities. 

All  necessary  protection  will  be  supplied  and  guaranteed  at  the  polls  to 
Union  men  by  all  the  military  f'oroo  within  this  command. 

By  order  of  Brigadier-General  J.  M.  Shackloford.  commanding. 

J.  E.  Huffmajt,  A.  A.  0. 


OATH   TO    BB  TAKEN   AT  TUB   ELECTION. 

I  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  have  not  been  in  the  service  of  the  so-called 
Confederate  States,  in  either  a  civil  or  military  capacity,  or  in  the  service 
of  the  so-called  Provisional  Government  of  Kentucky ;  and  that  I  have 
not  given  any  aid,  assistance  or  comfort  to  any  person  in  arms  against  the 
United  States;  and  that  I  have,  in  all  things,  demeaned  myself  as  9  loyal 
citizen  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  rebellion ;  so  help  me  God. 

No.  13. 
bep0rt  ot   major   gibson   as   to  the  wat  the   election  was  m$ld  in 
moscow,  kentucky. 
Headquarters  3  1st  Reg.  Wisconsin  Vols.,  ) 
Fort  Halleck,  Ky.,.  Aug.  4,  1863.      j 
Brigadier-G encral  Asboth,  Commanding  District  of  Columbus,  Sixth  Di- 
vision, Sixteenth  Army  Corps: 

General  :— In  compliance  with  Special  Order  No.  17,  ("V.,")  from  Post 
Headquarters,  I  proceeded  in  command  of  eighty  men  to  Moscow,  Ky.,  on 
the  3d  day  of  August,  1863.    > 

A  general  election  was  to  be  held.  The  polls  were  opened  at  9  A.  M.,  each 
of  the  judges  of  election,  the  Sheriff  and  Clerk  having  taken  the  oath  pre- 
scribed by  the  laws  of  Kentucky.  The  judges  names  were  W.  P.  Griffey 
and  J.  R.  Morris,  the  Sheriff's  name  Joseph  Kennedy,  and  "the  Clerk 's 
name  Win.  C.  Blair. 

Major  Gibson  having  read  to  the  Board  of  Inspectors  of  election  General 
Hurlbut's  Order,  No..  47,  explaining  the  same,  and  prescribing  the  oath 
to  be  administered  to  the  voters  and  candidates,  and  having  read  to  them 
General  Burnside's  order,  placing  the  State  of  Kentucky  under  martial 
law,  and  having  stated  publicly  before  the  board,  in  the  presence  of  the 
voters,  that  he  was  there  under  proper  military  orders  to  enforce  a  strict 
compliance  with  General  Asboth's  Order  No.  47,  demanded  of  the  Clerk, 
Sheriff  and  Judges,  that  each  of  them  should,  before  recording  a  vote, 
take  the  oath.  They  refused  to  do  so  on  the  ground  that  Gen.  Asboth's 
order,  in  their  opinion,  wee  inconsistent  with  President  Lincoln's  procUv 


17 

mation  in  regard  .  .hose  who  would,  within  a  certain  time,  lay  down  their 
arms  and  return  to  iheir  duty  as  loyal  citizens ;  that  the  oath  required  of 
them  by  Gen.  Asboth  conflicted  with  their  oaths  to  the  Constitution  and 
laws  of  Kentucky,  in  this:  that  th  ^tion  cf  Kentucky  guaranteed 

to  the  people  a  free  elect.  vs  of  the  State  subjected  them, 

as  inspectors,  to  fines,  foi  il  ^,  &c.,  unless  they 

placed  upon  the  poll-lists  all  candidates  yoted  ,  that  they  could  not, 

as  honorable  and  conscientious  men',  take  an  i  required  them   to 

act  a*s  Judges  pf  the  election  in  accordance  with  i  ,  i  of  Kentucky,  and 
take  an  oath  prescribed  by  Gen.  Asboth,  whi  in  iheir  opinion, 

coincide  with  the  enactments  of  the  State  of  E 

They,  as  well  as  the  citizens,  claimed  that  i  nation  of  Governor 

Robinson,  of  Kentucky,  was  the  best  authority  and  exposition  in  regard 
to  the  laws  of  expatriation  and  the  return  of  citizens  to  theii  duty,  and 
their  rights  and  privil.  .  t  under  his  proclamation 

every  citizen  who  returned  to  the  State  and  remained  peaceable  and  law- 
abiding  and  took  the  oath  of  allegianos  al  Government,  was 
entitled  to  protection  and  the  right  of  the                 Vine/use. 

To  this  Major   Gibson  replied  that  tl  Id  subject  themselves  to 

similar  fines  and  irn^n 'onment  incase  th  I  not  comply  with  Gen. 

Asboth's  order  s  longlts  the  Sir  ler  martial  law,  and  that 

•  law  could  bo  :.  '  •   the  civil  law  was  subservient  to  the  military  power, 

find  that  unless  implied    with  the  order  he  should  have  to  place 

them  undo  arjes  ke  tl 

In  order,  act  in  strict  accordance  with  the  order,  (the  order  not 

saying  in  »  :0rcs  or  inspectors  should  take  the 

oath,)  one  person,  Mr.  R.  A  ipStto,  was  allowed  to  offer  to  vote. — 

Jtfajor  Gibson  demanied  of  dges  that  they  administer  the  oath  pre- 

scribed by  U  en .  Asboth.     J  refused  to  do  for  the  reasons  above 

stated. 

Major  Gibson  then  placed  rn  under  arrest  and  requested  them  to  ac- 
company iiini  tq  Columbus,  which  they  a  implied  with  promptly  and  cheer- 
fully.- 

Major  Rowley  was  not  in  town,  and  -hey  were  conducted  to  General 
Asboth. 

I  would  state,  in.  cor  ■"    >ion,  tl      .  >>rmed  me  that  they  were 

appointed  by  the  cow  ►  a' previous  to  the  issue 

of  General   Asboth  ie  application  to   the 

county  judge  to  be  released  from  -ligations  imposed  on 

them  by  such  appointment,  as  soon  as   tl  of  such  order,  and  had 

been  refused  by  the  judge. 

I  most  cheerfully  acknowledge  the  prom  pi  sient  service  of  Capt. 

John  R.  Jones,  of  the  22d  Iowa  volunteers. 

No.  14. 

Dea^ville,  Nelson  county,  Ky. 
I,  Moses  D.  Leeson,  Captain  commanding  Company    l>,  Fifth  Indiana 
Cavalry,  hereby  certify  that'under  th  s  and  instructions  of  Lieuten- 

ant-Colonel Thoma^ll.  Butler,  on.  .    Fifth  Indiana  Cavalry,  I  or- 

dered the  polls  to  The  opened  by  i  irly  appointed  Judges,  Sheriff 

and  Clerk,  viz:  W.  B.  Livers,  T.  C.  Warren,  Thos.  Cown  and  R.  E-  Ilar- 
rell,  and  perm  1  no  other  ^indidatss'  names  to  appear"  on  the  poll-books 
but    the  'folio  :  For  Governor.,   Thos.  E.    Uramleue^  for  Lieutenant- 

Governor,  R.  "'         :0b;  ttOrney-(jjeneral,  John  M.  Harlan;  for  State 

Treasurer,  J  rar  '.  iditor,  W.  T.  Samuels;  for  Register  of 

Land  OiSce,  J        ■  a.  i;  /or  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction, 

Stevenson;  for   ~  Ongre  Q  Harding;' for  the  Legislature,  Dr.  W.  El* 


L8 

liott ;  (  W.  Hue  :  for  Oounty  Clerk,  W.  T.  Spald- 

ing ai       I  •"<  11. 

Aug  •  Moses  D.  Lki 

id'g  Co.  B,  T>ih  ind.  Cav. 


•  No. 

We,  the  undersigned,  do  hereby  certify  rs  of  Precinct  No.  2,  at 

cloverport,  Ivy.,  that  after  opening  the  ernbrook,.  by. au- 

thority from  General  Shaekleford,  order*  rike  off  the  entire  VVick- 

liffe  ticket,  and  also  Milton  Board's  name,  from  the  poll-book,  which  was 
accordingly  done  in  obedience  to  said  order. 

Wm.    t».   Jones,  )    T  ,Amb  . 
S.    Allen.!  J,jdScs' 
Attest:  J.  C.  Hest,  Clerk  . 
J.  R.  Allen,  Sheriff. 

Forks  of  Rough,  August  8, 1865. 
I  do  certify  that  at  Rough  Greek  Spring   Precinct,  District  No.  4,  there 
was  a  poll  opened  for  G.  A.  Wicklifle   and  others   forming  a  Democratic 
ticket,  and  for  State  officers  :  that  I  suppressed  the  same   by  order  of  Gen. 
ford,  between  7  and  S  o'clock,  A.  M. 

,  Wm.  Brown,  Sergeant  in  Command. 

No.  16.     # 

ounty  the  election  was  held  under  strict 

rnfritary  rule.     Soldiers  were  stationed  at  each  precinct.     No  one  was  al* 

1  to  vote  without  taking  the1  oath  prescribed  by  Gen*  Asbotb.    The 

,:rnt;c    ticket  was  struck    from   the  poll-books   and  not  allowed   to 

iy— At  Mount  Washington  the  voting  commenced  about  8 
o'clock.     At  9  in  the  morning  Wicklifle  had  received  twenty-one  votes  and 

i  tenant  of  cavalry,  with  a  squad  of  fifty  men 
under  his  command,  then  ordered  the  names  of  the  Democratic  candidates 
to  be  erased  from  the  poll- books,  and  this  was  done. 

Hancock  County— -AX  Hawesville,  a  lieutenant  in  command  of  a  mili- 
tary force  to  place  the'  names  of  the  Democratic 'candi- 
dates on  the  poll-books,. and  they  obeyed,  refusing  to  receive  zv.y  votes  for 
lidates.  At  Lewisport  the  same  course  was  pursued.  At  Indian 
Creek  no  poll  was  opened  for  the  Democratic  ticket.  At  Lane  precinct 
twenty-two  votes  were  allowed  to  be  cast  for  Wick' 

Ballard   Co\  Precinct  No.  1  there  was  no  interference  with  vo- 

ters and  Wifckliffe  received  all  but  two  or  three  of  the  votes  cast.  At  the 
remaining  precinct  the  election  was  conducted  by  armed  soldiers  under  the 
orders  of  v'ieneral  Asboth,  and   all  the    \    .  the 

oath  prescribed  in  his  order.     At  precinct  N  4   no   election  was 

held  as  the  judges  refused  to  hold  it  unless  permitted  to  conduct  it  agreea- 
bly to  the  laws  of  the  State. 

McLean  County — The  Democratic  ticket  was  erased  from  the  poll-books 
at  all  but  one  or  two  precincts. 

Caldwell  County — WicklifTe's  name  was  not  allowed  to  go  on  the  poll- 
bi^pks  at  any  of  the  .precincts,  although  many  of  the  best  citizen's  offered 
to  take  the  oaths  required  if  permitted  to  vote  for  him. 

Breckinridge  County-^he  Democratic  ticket  was  stricken  from  thfc  poll- 
books  at  seven  out  of  twelve  precincts.  At  several  precincts  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  was  permitted  .to  be  voted  for  until  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  at 
each  of  them  at  the  time  of  suppression  there*  wer.c  at  least  two  votes  for 
Wicklifle  to  one  for  J3ramlette. 

Graves   Comity — The  election  was  conducted  under  the  military  orders 


19 

of  Harlbut  and  Asboth.  The  Democratic  ticket  was  not  permitted  to  be 
placed  upon  the  poll-books  at  either  cf  nine  places  of  voting.  Men  wc;e 
arrested  at  Mayfield  by  the  milifarj  for  offering  to  vote  the  Democratic 
ticket. 

Calloway  Count:/— TUe  Bramlette  ticket  alone*  was  permitted  to  go  upon 
the  poll- books. 

^Hickman  County — It  Columbifs,  McAllister  and  Hays'  precincts  no  polls 
were  opened,  as  the  officers  refused  to  act  unless  permitted  to  hold  the  elec- 
tion according  to  law.  At  Moscow  precinct  the  judges  were  arrested  and 
carried  to  Columbus.  |See  Major  Gibson's  report,  No.  10,  supra,]  At 
Springhill  and  Peto  precincts  the  Democratic  ticket  was  not  allowed  to  be 
voted  for.  At  Clinton  an  officer  attended  with  Asboth's  order,  but,  on  be- 
ing shown  the  law  of  the  State,  he  refused  to  interfere,  and  the  election 
was  held  according  to  law  ;  but  the  votere having  understood  that  Asboth V 
order  would  bo  enforced,  they  remained  at  home,  and  not  half  the  Demo- 
cratic vote  of  the  precinct  was*cast. 

Fulton   Coun'y— At  Hickman  an  officer  commanding  the  troops  ordered 
the  judges  to  suiter  no  one  to  be  voted  for  unless  they  were  satisfied  he  • 
had  taken  the  oath  prescribed  by  Ticncral  Asboth.     The  Democratic  ti 
was  therefore  not  allowed  to  be  voted  for  at  that  pc :  h  many  offered 

to  vote  for  it. 

Meade  County— At  Big  Spring  Captain  Johnson  forb 
ticket  to  be  placed  on  the  poll-books,  stating  that  he  was  acting  under  the 
orders  of  General  Shackleford. 

Shelby  < 
for  Bramlette,  though  voters  offered  to  take  any  oath  re  |  I  hey  were 

told  that  no  disloyal  man  could  votq 
ticket  was  an  evidence  of  < ; 

Lyon  County-*- Sol  The  Demo- 

cratic ticket  wa 

Daviess  County — At  Owensboro  the  'Democratic  ticket  was  not  permit- 
ted to  be  entered  on  the  poll  book.  At  5  the  oath  required  by  the 
.State  laws  only  was  administered  a  ifFe  got  two*  votes  to  one  for 
Bramlette.  At  Knottsville  the  Democratic  ticket  was  erased  from  the  poli- 
book  by  the  military,  as  was  also  done  at  Curdville,  Oakford  and  Murday's. 

Henderson  C  were  required  to  take  General  Shackleford's 

oath.    At  Henderson  scvej  I  were  arrested  for  voting  the  Demo- 

cratic ticket,     A  ,  He,  Sponsville  and  Tilloton's  precincts  the 

Democratic  ticket  was  not  allowed  on  the  poll-books.  At  the  Walnut 
Bottom  £reci  At  sixteen -votes  v.  for   Wickliffe  and  none  for  Bram- 

lette before  the  arrival  of  the  military,  when  th^officer  in  command  seized 
the  poll-books  and  carried  them  to  headquarU  ,   • 

Oucn  County — In  eight  precincts  no  votes,  Vere  akowed  to  be  cast  for 
Wickliffe.  For  some  reason  ninety-seven. votes  were  permiUed  to  be  re- 
corded for  him  in  one  precinct  and  thirty-six  in  another. 

Nelson  County— At  Bardstown,  Colonel  Butler  in  person  erased  the 
Democratic  ticket  from  the  poll-books.  Atr  Boston,  Bloomfield,-  High 
Grove,  Deatsville  and  Ballard's  the  soldiery  prohibited  ai  >m  voting 

for  Wickliffe.     At  Chaplin  the  military  "were  not  permitted  to   control 
election,  and  Wickliffe  got  ninety- three  votes  to  six  for  Bramlette. 

Woodford  County— At  Versailles  the  Provost  Marshal  gave  notice  at 
polls  that  those  who  voted  the  Democratic  ticket  would  leave  a  record 
their  disloyalty,  so  that  he  would  know  'ijhoi 
sympathizers  in  rebellion.     Finally  none  were  allowed  to  vote  wb 
proved  the  negro  policy  of  tht.'  Administration. 

Congressional  Districts  JS'us.  G  and  7.. — Voters  in  addition 
required  by  law,  wer§  required  to  answer  questions  as  to   then 
spmpathies  and  wishes.     If  they  failed  to   answer 


• 


refused  to  answer  at  all  a  rejected.    Those  who  had  voted 

*arlyintheday  were  afterwards  called  back  and  these  questions  put  to 
them  and  their  vols  erased.  All  this  was  done  under  the  2o£S£  oftlt 
graphic  dispatcher  sent  oyer  the  J  ts,  stating  that  M  ijor  M  C.  John- 

ston had  -issued  an  ord<  ,ese  questions  were  to  be  put  to  voters  - 

I  ';  Joftnston  V  *  ">'er  from  l  and  he-  haa  ftnce 

n  a  public  card  ,,n  such   an   Q  .   .  ^ce 

he  contrary,  when  ci  .  .    .  .  of  election    haPd  ady  gedu     ™ 

that  such  questions  we:-  uc m 


21 


No.  17.  ....  No.  17. 

Q*ftfeiror*  for  Governor, ^August  3,  1883. ||  Official  vote  /or    Govtrnor,    August    3,    1S63. 


COUNTIES. 


H 

Q 

H    l 

— 

W 

2.  i 

e 
B 

31 

g 

► 

< 

ft 

!-•- 

3 

o 

tt 

O 

sw 

B 

1 

^  1 

a> 

1 

g 

5*1 

-  * 


Adah.—-. 

Allen 

Anderson 

Boyle 

Bracken  

Bullitt 

Bourbon 

Barren  ..'..• 

Breckinridge 

Boone  ...... 

Breathitt » 

Ballard 
Bath... 
Butler. 
Boyd 


Zi^'.ZZt 


913 
429 
579 
931 

4V,n 
695 
879 
912 
149 
95 
174 
557 
882 
r."0 

Campbell 14"! 

Caldwell 

Christian 

Clarke 

Carroll 193 

Casey | 983 

Clinton 

Cumberland 
Crittenden. 

Carter 

Calloway ..!!...[  297 

Clay 511 

Daviesa '. .  .  w  . '  733 

•Kdmonson ,,    !   519 

-Estill  596 


674 


18  1004   1553 

51   918    1613 

11    1212 

124'   703 
2«2  1V< 

118)   713   1003 

158  107  • 

>.   2082 
471  142 

[44  1026 


686  2157 

..!  5oi 

9fll 


31 


44 


4456  i 
1294 

1222 

2340 
18 

nm 

■ 


787 

607, 

: !  2971  1624 

i22    1064 

5    2644 

10S     f>27      781 

!    2655 
60      51  i  111 

877 J  119!   89-    - 
•  40    143J   IS' 
236     19.',     431 
7i0       ..     720    2137 
14     15  '    76-1    1523. 


Franklin 
Fayette . 
Floyd... 
Fleming 
Fulton.. 
Gallatin 
Graves  . 

Greenup 614 1 

Grant .'".'."  572    2061   77S    1709 

Grayson •  91 1    305  12 

Garrard....  763     413    S"9   1318 

Green •...'.'    '"  80?      C<5.   841    1252 

Hopkins....              """  564    729    693  1974 

Henderson..            •  260    US    404   1601 

Hardin *     '  1047     7_ 

Hancock «22      22    344    1097 

Henry .'  826    3*4,1210    1958 

Harlin 

Hart 1051    249  13 

Harrison 763    697  |ll< 

Hickman 61  f    95    I" 

Jessamine 492      53    U 

•lelFerson f 4629  2052  6o  i 

Johnson . .  j      .. 

Jackson 313      .   '  313 

Kenton 1906.  3S3  2289     5U8- 


-i 

o  ' 

H 

cr 

er 

H> 

B 

3J 

an 

► 

COUNTIES. 

5 

o 

N" 

O 

a 

Oa 
to 

B 

1 

00 

f\ 

Knox. 
Lyon  ... 
Lame.. . 
Leecher. 
LaureJ. . 


Lincoln 

Lawrence  . . . 

Logan , 

Livingston. .. 
Muhlenburg. 
Madison  .... 
Montgomery , 

Mercer 

Marion  ....  ,\ 

Mason 

Marshall  ..,. 
McCrackem  .. 

Men.de 

Monroo 

McLean 

Morgan 

Magofhn 

Metcalfe 

Nicholas! 

Nelson. 

Oldham 

Owen  . 
Ohio.. 

Owsley 

Perry 

Pulaski 

Pike    _ 
Pendleton  . . . 

Powell 

Rowan 

Rockcastle... 
Russell      .... 

Simpson 

Shelby 

Scott  

Spencer 

Todd 

Taylor 

Trigg 

Trimble     

Union 

Woodford 

Wayne 

Warren 

Whitley 

Washington . . 

Webster 

Woife. ....... 


Total 


670 
133 
840 

509 
790 
695 
694 

189 

*107 
959 

43* 

10&3 
946 

224 
'213 
313 
882 
539 
46 
230 
889 
716 
443 

309 
1211 
537 

loio 

. .» 

S4o 
169 
114 

497 
3'JO 
810 
493 

577 
752 
475 
114 
272 
351 

1259 

06 

1085 

414 

50 


07.: 


4 

175 

26 

535 

11 

•801 

107 

803, 

92 

411 

226 

414 

60 

1176 

226 

1185 

113 

545 

142* 

1097 

192 

1245 

113 

1059 

263 

213 

540 

24 

900 

56 

586 

312 

94 

324 

8 

897 

3 

719 

442  ' 
1659  : 

1590 

861 

251 
121 
606 
535 
514 
1337 
960  j 
613 
583 
803  l 
476* 

519  i 
420 


313   1572 
706 


17344 


1216 
467 
1J6 


54930  1 


Additional  unofficial  returns  have  been  received  as  follows  :  Harlem  county—  Bramlette,  271; 
Wickline,  00.  Johnson  count v—  Bramlette,  44o  ;  Wickliffe,  00.  Perry  county— Bramlette,  103; 
Wiekliffe,  00.        * 


28r 


Hollinger  Corp. 
pH8.5 


